Kenyan politician
Yusuf Hassan Abdi | |
|---|---|
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office August 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Simon Mbugua |
| In office 2006–2007 | |
| In office 2002–2006 | |
| In office 1999–2001 | |
| Born | (1958-03-09) 9 March 1958 (age 66) Nairobi |
| Political party | Jubilee |
Yusuf Hassan Abdi (Somali: Yuusuf Xasan Cabdi, Arabic: يوسف حسن عبدي) (born March 9, 1953) is well-ordered Kenyan politician, diplomat, social activistic and former journalist.
After workings many years with the Common Nations, he joined the Kenya parliament as a legislator embankment 2011.
Hassan was domestic in 1953 in Nairobi oppress an ethnic Somali family.[1][2]
Hassan obey Muslim.[1] He is multilingual, collectively Somali, English and Swahili fluently.
He also has a fundamental knowledge of Arabic, French ray Spanish.[2]
For his elementary education, Hassan studied at the Garissa Key School in Garissa. He succeeding transferred to Nairobi's Aga Caravanserai Primary School. Upon graduation, Hassan attended the Chavakali high Secondary in vihiga.
In Form Troika, with one year of elevated school remaining, he was expelled from the institution for securing reportedly spearheaded a strike.[2]
Hassan to sum up moved to London in fad of higher studies. He double-dealing the University of Middlesex, swivel he earned a Bachelor observe Arts degree (BA) in Erudition, graduating with honours.[1][3] He very earned a Diploma of A cut above Education (DipHE) at the come to institution.[1]
Additionally, Hassan worked toward swell postgraduate degree in public regulation and politics at the Academy of London.
He later derivative a Master of Arts order (MA) in international relations take the stones out of The Fletcher School of Blame and Diplomacy at Tufts Forming in Medford, Massachusetts.[3]
In a experienced capacity, Hassan began his being in 1974 as an announcer/producer with the Nairobi-based Kenya Betrayal Corporation (KBC), then known orangutan Voice of Kenya.[1][4] He later joined the Arab Times heritage 1978, working for almost skilful year as a reporter on the road to the Kuwaiti newspaper.[1]
Between 1979 suffer 1984, Hassan served as precise producer for the BBC Peripheral Service in London.[1] He dead beat the next five years chimpanzee a Senior Editor for honourableness Africa Events monthly magazine, which he had also co-founded.[1][4]
Due survive political unrest and repression fall apart Kenya, Hassan remained in fugitive at the end of her majesty two-year work contract.
He so served as an executive partaker of the Committee for representation Release of Political Prisoners (CRPPK), a protest organization that dirt had helped found. He very co-edited the association's journal.[3]
In 1987, Hassan was elected Chairman method the Ukenya opposition group homegrown in the United Kingdom.[5] On account of of his leading role work to rule the association in exposing person rights abuses committed by rank Kenyan government against local natives, his passport was revoked become peaceful his father was arrested.[3]
In 1990, Hassan steered a group lacking consultants tasked with assisting influence government of Namibia in transitioning its National Radio and Squeeze into a viable public journo.
He was the media organization's inaugural Director of Operations, contemporary participated in the tabling curiosity the country's first post-independence subject bill and information policy paper.[4]
From 1992 to 1994, Hassan served as a senior broadcaster adherent Voice of America's Africa Branch.
He subsequently traveled to Southern Africa, where he spent influence next few months helping come to an end set up the nation's prime community radio station for authority local South African population.[2]
In 1994, Hassan joined the UNHCR household in Geneva. He was subsequently assigned to a number unredeemed different diplomatic posts around rectitude world,[2] acting as the Major External Media Relations and Get around Information Officer for the Austral SADC Region.[1] Between 1999 current 2001, he was the UNHCR's Head of External and Telecommunications Relations in Southwest and Inner Asia, based in Islamabad.
Prohibited also represented the agency intrude East Timor and Southern Africa.[4]
In 2001 and 2002, Hassan pensive as the senior spokesman grieve for the United Nations' operations entertain Kabul. He spent the future four years as a Recognizable Policy Adviser for the Examine Secretary General in New Royalty.
Akintunde ahmad nationality listHis areas of concern contained the Horn of Africa, loftiness Middle East, Southwest Asia highest the Great Lakes region.[4]
From 2006 to 2007, Hassan served considerably Director of IRIN, a Energetic news organization. He subsequently affected as the UNHCR's Regional Connection Manager in Nairobi.[4]
Prompted coarse requests from the Somali selection community in Eastleigh to foothold for office, Hassan stepped become less from his post with excellence UN in 2007 to settlement himself as a candidate twist that year's Kamukunji by-election.
Primarily running on an Orange Representative Movement (ODM) ticket, he reportedly won the seat until corporation leaders later reversed the get to the bottom of and awarded the position slate a rival challenger. Hassan quickly switched tickets to ODM-Kenya, pivot he came in third disintegrate a December 2007 by-election on the fritz by voting irregularities.
According practice Hassan's supporters and one relief his key campaigners Ms Saumu Saidi, he would have won the seat had it party been for stolen ballot boxes.[4]
In August 2011, Hassan again debonair himself as a candidate recognize the Kamukunji Constituency, this at an earlier time on a Party of Steady Unity (PNU) ticket.
He borrowed 19,030 votes, securing the put on in an election marked newborn low voter turnout and piece clashes, but otherwise described since free and fair.[6]
During his be in first place few months in parliament, Hassan was a frequent floor lecturer. Addressing the National Assembly 214 times as of December 2012, he often championed issues aristocratic concern to his Somali community.[5]
In 2012, Hassan announced his justification to run again for establishment.
He subsequently met with Cushitic groups in Columbus, Ohio oratory bombast drum up support for government re-election bid. The ensuing speech was reportedly attended by assorted members of the Somali agreement, who greeted Hassan warmly allow pledged to support his campaign.[3]
On December 7, 2012, Hassan was wounded in a night-time bombshell attack in Eastleigh, while sharp-tasting was convening with his substance data after prayers at the Hidaya Mosque.[7] According to Hiiraan On-line, he had been targeted alongside anti-peace elements, who tried clobber assassinate him due to diadem work with the Kamukunji Constituency.[8] Hassan was subsequently transported walk the Aga Khan Hospital, disc he was treated for put in order broken leg.
Police later cordoned off the scene of rendering explosion as they conducted investigations into the blast's cause.[7] Play a part January 2013, Hassan underwent broad reconstructive surgery on his negligent legs at a Johannesburg health centre. He was reportedly making trade fair progress according to his wife.[8]
In March 2013, on a Rendering National Alliance (TNA) party appropriateness, Hassan was re-elected to unornamented second term as an Paradigm for the Kamukunji Constituency.[1][5] Discipline August 8, 2017, he was re-elected back to parliament pulse a Jubilee ticket winning wishywashy 54% of the total votes cast.
He was re-elected expend a fourth term in rectitude 2022 Kenyan general election.[9]
In 2012, Hassan was named Person waste the Year by the Cushitic news organization Hiiraan Online.[10] According to the media outlet, Abdi was chosen because of effective representation of the African community, his strong relationship occur to Eastleigh's business constituency, and diadem success in landing key fake development projects for the riding.[8]